US 4,059,959 AGranted

Geothermal energy processing system with improved heat rejection

AssigneeSperry Rand Corporation

InventorHugh B. Matthews

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Abstract

The improved geothermal energy extraction system abstracts thermal energy stored in hot solute-bearing well water to generate a super-heated fluid from an injected flow of a working fluid; the super-heated fluid is then used to operate a turbine-driven pump at the well bottom for pumping the hot geothermal brine in liquid state toward the earth's surface. After energy for the generation of electrical power is extracted from the brine, a consequently cooled portion of the brine is then used at the earth's surface in a combination unitary cooling tower and working organic fluid condensing system. The invention combines the cooling tower and condenser functions in an integrated unit, the outer surfaces of the condenser tubes being exposed to a cascading flow of cooling brine while the brine is itself being cooled. The condenser tubes are arranged geometrically so that a cleaning device may continuously or upon command travel along the condenser tubes, cleaning their outer surfaces of scale accumulations deposited by the depressurized brine.

Claims15

Dependent claims

Geothermal deep well energy extraction apparatus of the kind in which solute-bearing water is pumped to a station at the earth's surface utilizing thermal energy extracted within said well from said solute-bearing water for operating turbine-motor driven electrical generator means at said station, a major portion of said solute-bearing water being returned from said station into reinjection well means, said extraction apparatus further including:

coupling means for supplying a working fluid utilizing a portion of said extracted thermal energy to an input of said turbine motor means,
condenser conduit means coupled to the output of said turbine motor means for condensing said working fluid and returning said condensed working fluid to said coupling means,
manifold distributor means for enveloping said condenser conduit means in a coolant shower in droplet form,
wet well tank means for collecting said coolant shower after cooling said condenser conduit means,
air circulating means for cooling said droplets of said coolant shower while descending from said manifold distributor means to said wet well tank means,
first pump means for conveying coolant from said wet well tank means to said manifold distributor means, and
control means for selecting a minor portion of said solute-bearing water before said major portion is returned to said reinjection well means for maintaining a predetermined liquid level within said wet tank means.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.